Tucker mechanism for buttonattaching machines



Dec. 9, 1941. F. H. PETERSON TUCKER MECHANISM FOR BUTTON-ATTACHING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 4 I l 6 g awuwwlm Fredecz'ck Be i'engon,

/ I C LHOWW.

. Dec. 9, 1941. PETERSQND I 2,265,575

TUCKER MECHANISM FOR BUTTON-ATTAGHING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,F'izedenc'ck JiBei'ei-aon,

Patented Dec. 9, 1941 TUCKER MECHANISM FOR BUTTON- ATTACHING MACHINES Frederick H. Peterson, Water-town, Conn, assignor to The Patent Button Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 17, 1939, Serial No. 299,898

3 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in button-attaching machines, and more particularly to what is known as a tucker mechanism, that is, the slide and finger that advances the tack, after it leaves its chute, to the attaching station directly under the button where, on the descent of the plunger, the button is forced down, and consequently, the tack prong is forced through the cloth into the button to thus securely fasten the button to its cloth.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, button-attaching machines broadly consist of a hopper, from which the button heads are fed to a point above an attaching station, together with a second hopper, from which the tacks are fed to the attaching station, together with means for synchronizing their advancement, so that when the plunger descends, there will be a tack on the anvil at the attaching station directly beneath the button head.

The above arrangement is shown in Patent Number 1,901,375, granted to me on March 14, 1933, for Button-attaching machines and in the patents of Franklin R. White, to wit: Number 1,567,882, issued on December 29, 1925, for Button-attaching machine and Number 1,901,386, issued on March 14, 1933, for Button-attaching machines.

In the machines just-mentioned, however, there is but little space for the hands of the operator, who has to continually place the goods over the attaching station to attach the buttons Where desired. Also, it is often desired that the article in the operators hands be turned or swung rearwardly, but due to the close proximity of the tack chute to the plunger, ithas often been impossible to turn or swing the goods when desired.

One of the objects of the present invention is to so arrange the machine that there will be three or four inches of space behind the attaching plunger to accommodate the hand of the operator when using the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel tucker slide unit that will advance the tack not directly to the attaching station but to an intermediate or transfer station, from which point a second finger of the tucker slide will advance the previously ad vanced tack from the transfer station out to the attaching station.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tucker slide or block similar in most respects to the form of tucker slide used but to provide an additional finger and an additional transfer station, so that the tucker slide will ad vance on its first forward stroke a tack to the transfer station, will then retract, and a second finger will be cammed downwardly during the retracting by the head of the deposited tack until it is positioned at the rear of the tack at the transfer station. On the next stroke, it will engage the tack and force it out to the attaching station and at the same time the main tucker finger will advance the next successive tack to the transfer station.

Of course, after the first tack has been advanced, each forward stroke of the tucker slide will carry a second tack to the transfer station While the tack at the transfer station will be advanced to the attaching station.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now tothe drawings showing a preferred embodiment.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a tack chute of a button-attaching machine together with a part of the tucker slide mechanism and showing a'tack at the transfer station and a tack out on the anvil (attaching station) directly beneath the button-holding jaws and plunger;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the tucker slide with its two fingers and also the transfer station;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but with the tucker block retracted to permit the second or additional slide to spring up behind the tack positioned at the transfer station ready to advance this tack; I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the tucker slide unit;

Fig. 4;.

Fig. 3 is a perspective, on a reduced scale, of the tack-holding jaw that forms the major part of the transfer station;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of a locking device and its parts that cooperate with the tucker slide and that release one tack at a time from the chute to the tack table; and

"spoken of as the attaching station.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged top View of an oriented button. At the outset, it might be mentioned that only that part of the machine is shown which is thought necessary to illustrate the present in-. vention, while the type of machine may be seen March 14, 1933, for Button-attaching machines.

It might also be mentioned briefly that a button-attaching machine consists of a means for feeding button heads to cup-shaped jaws under the attaching plunger together with synchronized means for feeding tacks from a hopper out to an attaching station directly beneath the plunger,

sothat on an operation of the machine and the descent of the plunger, there will always be a tack out on the attaching station, which will be forced into the cloth and into the button head to thusyat'tach the button to its cloth.

In the present instance, the invention relates to the new and improved tucker mechanism, and rather than having the tucker slide provided with one finger to force the tack from the table at the end of the chute all the way to the attaching station on its one stroke, the tack chute has been set about four inches to the rear of the attaching station, so that the operator, in holding the cloth, may swing it Or turn it to the desired position beneath the plunger and still have room for his hands to get behind the plunger and avoid the hands striking the tack chute.

The length of the stroke and the timing of the descent of the plunger'do not permit using simply" a longer tucker slide than before, so the present invention shows the installation of a transfer station together with an additional tucker finger. Thus, on the advance stroke of the tucker slide, a tack 'Will'be brought to the transfer station and after the'firs't tack is fed will also advance a tack from the transfer station out to the attaching station.

Now referring to Fig. 1, there is fragmentarily shown a tack chutel, which leads from the hopper (not shown) for the tacks to the table 2, in

which operates the tucker slide and on which the tacks are deposited one at a time by an escapement 3-in the tack chute.

At the outer end of the table 2, in which the tucker slide operates, is the anvil 4, which'is often There is also an escapement (not shown in detail) in the tack chute which is operated by the tucker slide, and permits only one tack to be released from the chute to the table .2 on each upward movement of'the plunger.

It will Joe understood that the action of mechanism (not shown) of the plunger, so that on every upward movement of the plunger, there is a forward movement of'the tucker slide to thus assure thatatack will be liberated to the which slides within the table *2, which, it will be remembered, is just beneath the end -of the-tack chute I. g l

the tucker slide is synchronized with the operating The unit consists of the block 5, which is substantially T-shaped in cross section and has the tucker finger 6 mounted thereon, which finger is slightly rounded out at its forward end, so that the nose '5 will partly encircle the shank or prong of the tack and the undercut B in the finger will clear the head of the tack, as seen in Fig. 1. On the under surface of the block or slid-e 5, there is a post 5' which is connected to an arm 5 of the operating mechanism for advancing and retracting the slide in the table 2.

So far the tucker slide block and its tucker finger are very similar to those shown in the patents above-mentioned.

However, there will be noticed an.additional pivoted finger 9 fitting within the forward end of the block 5, the pivotal point Ill being just slightly in advance of the forward end of the tucker finger -6.

Also there may be seen the downwardly extending arm H, which forms a part of the finger 9 to which "is secured the spring l2, which, in turn, is secured to the post l'3, so that this finger 9 normally assumes a tilted position, as shown in Fig. 4. The finger 9 also has its nose slightly out out, as at [4, to partly encircle the prong of a tack, as will be readily understood.

It will be noticed that this tucker finger '9 extends out beyond the forward end of its block, as seen in Fig. 1, so that the tack when advanced will be positioned out on the anvil 4 directly beneath the plunger 3 and button-holding jaws 3". 1

Near the rear end of the block 5, as in former Patent Number 1,567,882 mentioned, is the downwardly extending lug I5 together with a bolt l6. Extending outwardly from the lug is a stud 25 with a roller sleeve thereon which is associated with a cammed bell-crank element, which element has the horizontally extending locking finger IT, as may be seen in Fig. 1, while at the rear of the element may be seen the block I 8. Also there is the upwardly extending arm l9 which is pivoted to the further armifl, which latter is bifurcated, as at 2!, and, in turn, embraces a rod downwardly, operates the escapement 3 through the aforementioned arm 20 and the rod 2| and liberates a tack from the escapement 3 inthe chute I to the table 2.

It will be understood that as long as the stud 25 underlies the forward portion of the finger H, the tack escapement 3 is held in a locked condition, that is, in a position to cut off descent of tacks.

This mechanism, which is shown in Figs. 1 and 6, is similar to that shown in the former White Patent Number 1,567,882 mentioned, with the exception that there is an additional arm 20 that connects through the arm 21 with the rod 2l'- to operate the escapement rather than being connected'directly to the rod 21 'L Referring now for the moment to Fig. 2,'th'ere isseen the pivoted jaw 22 on the table 2 that extends out to the attaching station, and this pivoted is so that if a tack should become jammed under the tucker finger, the jaw may be swung outwardly and the offending tack removed. There may also be seen the small leaf spring which is positioned partly alongside and partly under the jaw 22 for holding this jaw in its normal position.

In the present application, however, the jaw not only performs its previous functions, but is changed so as to form a transfer or intermediate station for the tack.

This jaw, as may be seen in Fig. 2, is provided with a projecting cam wall 23 on its inner face, which is centrally notched, as at 24, and this wall in the jaw is at a point just apposite the point of the outermost limit of travel of the tucker finger 8.

Thus, on a forward movement of the tucker slide, after a tack has dropped on the table 2, the finger 6 of the tucker slide will advance the tack to the transfer station or, in other words, to the notch 24 in the jaw 22, to be held there until further advanced by the forward tucker finger 9.

Briefly, the operation of the tucker slide is as follows:

On a downward stroke of the plunger 3, the tucker slide is retracted by suitable mechanism (not shown), of which the arm is the end element and is connected to the stud 5' through which said arm 5 retracts the tucker slide. As the tucker slide reaches its rearmost end of travel, the stud 25, which underrides the cam finger I! (Fig. 1) to thus normally hold the escapement locked, strikes the block [8 of the cammed bell-crank element and pushes down the rod 2| to. in turn, swing the escapement in the tack chute l and liberate a tack to the table 2. Then, as the plunger 3' rises, the tucker slide begins its forward stroke and the finger 6 en-' gages the prong of the liberated tack and forces it outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 to the transfer station or, in other words, in the notched wall 24 of the jaw 22.

Of course, when the machine is first started, there will not be a tack at the transfer station to be carried out to the attaching station. However, after the first tack has been deposited out on the transfer station, when the tucker slide next advances not only will the tucker finger 6 advance a tack to the transfer station but the finger 9 of the tucker slide will also advance the tack from the transfer station out to the attaching station, as seen in Fig. 1.

This is accomplished due to the fact that on the rearward stroke of the tucker slide, the forward finger 9 will be forced from its tilted position to a horizontal position, as the tack cannot be moved vertically or rearwardly and the head will, therefore, act as a cam to cause the finger 9 to move down to a horizontal position until it has passed under and to the rear of the tack on the transfer station. When once past this point, the finger 9 will spring upwardly, and then on the forward stroke of the tucker slide, the finger engages and will advance the tack out to the 1;

position shown in Fig. 1.

Thus, after the first tack has been deposited on the transfer station, at every forward movement of the tucker slide one tack will be carried from the chute out to the transfer station while the tack at the transfer station will be carried out to the attaching station.

It will be appreciated that I have only fragmentarily shown the attaching plunger and the holding jaws for the buttons, as those portions of tail the machine that handle the buttons form no part of the present invention per se. Also, it will be understood that diiferent forms of tack buttons may be used. In Fig. 10, I have shown an enlarged face view of a button 26, which is provided with suitable insignia 21 and having a specially shaped hub 28, on which are the fiat surfaces 29 and 30 and the aligning wall 3|, all arranged at a 20 angle to the vertical position of the insignia to insure the button being delivered to the attaching station with its insignia in properly readable position when being attached to the garment. The button illustrated is shown in dein Patent Number 2,170,092, granted to Rollin R. Clarke and me on August 22, 1939, for Tack buttons.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this tucker slide unit is operated broadly in the same manner as formerly, but by providing an intermediate or transfer station and a separate finger to pick up the tack and advance it from this station to the attaching station, additional space is provided between the tack chute I and the attaching station 4, so that the hands of the operator will not be hampered when swinging a garment into position. Thus, buttons to be placed on bibs of overalls or on coats or trousers may be more easily handled. Furthermore, the garment will not extend up along the tack chute and catch in the prongs of the protruding tacks as they pass down the raceway.

Finally, by arranging the tucker slide as shown, the synchronizing of the various parts of the machine does not have to be changed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:-

1. In a tucker slide unit for a button-attach ing machine, said unit including a block. a finger fixedly mounted on the block near the rear end thereof, the nose of the finger being undercut to overlie the head of a tack, a second finger pivotally mounted forwardly of said first-mentioned finger and having a rear portion extending through the block, a spring connected to the saidmentioned rear portion to normally hold the finger in a raised position, a stud on the under surface of the forward end of the block adapted to be engaged by a lever to reciprocate the block, a downwardly extending arm also on the under surface of the block near its rear end provided with a stud which stud is adapted to underride a locking finger and push said finger downwardly when said slide has reached its rearmost position of travel, the first-mentioned finger being adapted to advance a tack for a portion of its travel and the second-mentioned finger being adapted to advance the tack for the remainder of its travel.

2. In a tucker slide mechanism for a buttonattaching machine, said slide mechanism including a reciprocating block, a finger fixedly mounted on the block near the rear end thereof, a second finger pivotally mounted in advance of said first-mentioned finger, a spring secured to said second-mentioned finger for normally holding the same in an elevated position, an undercut fixed wall adjacent the path of travel of the two fingers, a spring-pressed undercut jaw on the opposite side of said fingers, the wall and the jaw forming a raceway for the tacks, the springpressed jaw being provided with a notched cam surface extending into said raceway, a downwardly extending arm on the under surface of the block near its rear end provided with a stud adapted to under-ride a locking finger and operate the same when the slide has reached its rearmost position of travel, th first-mentioned finger'being adapted to advance a tack to the notch in the cam surface of the spring-pressed jaw and the second-mentioned finger being adapted to advance the tack to its outermost position of travel. 7

'3. In a tucker mechanism fora button-attaching machine, a table, .a reciprocating slide block mounted in said table, a "fixed overhangingwall on one side of the table and an adjacent pivotally mounted spring-pressed jaw on the opposite side thereoL the said wall and .said jaw being undercut to form ara-ceway for the head of a tack, a fixed finger on said block and a pivotal ifinger also mounted on said block, the fingerstraveling in said raceway, the spring-pressed jaw being provided with a notched cam surface extending into said raceway and being adapted to partially encircle the shank of a tack and form a transfer station for said tack, spring means on the pivotal finger to keep the same in an elevated position, a downwardly extending arm secured to the rear end of said block and having a stud adapted to operate an escapement, the fixed finger being adapted to push a tack out to the transfer station, and the pivotal finger being adapted to cam under the head of the tack on its rearward movement and to push said tack from the transfer station out to an attaching station on the iorward 15 movement of said block.

FREDERICK H. PETERSON. 

